Forget French Fries. THESE Are Even Better!

Fries are one of my favorite foods. It doesn’t matter if they’re french fries, sweet potato fries, parsnips, or what have you. I’ll take them fried or baked, and if they have a flavorful dipping sauce, all the better! These fries are a healthier version of the classic that I make to go alongside Greek or Italian themed dinners (like these quick cooking chicken pitas ). They’re made with polenta, which is the Italian method of cooking corn meal. These are incredibly easy to make and baking them makes them healthier than the classic fried version. Whats really fun about them though is that you can infuse the polenta itself with any kind of herbs or spices that you want.

Kelsey Kinser

Polenta Fries

For the fries:

4 cups skim milk

1 1/2 cups stone ground or coarse cornmeal

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ounces feta

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

For the dipping sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 sprigs fresh oregano, minced

1 tablespoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt to taste

Kelsey Kinser

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 425°F.

In a medium saucepan warm the milk and butter on medium heat until the butter is melted and the milk is about to boil. Add the cornmeal, spices, and feta and whisk on low heat for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thick but smooth. Spread this mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking tray as evenly as you can. Cover gently with plastic wrap and set aside to cool for 20-30 minutes as the oven preheats.

Once cooled cut the polenta into sticks slightly smaller than the size of fries you want, they spread slightly during baking. Brush with the vegetable or olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes or until browned and crisp. If desired you can cut off any ugly edges, though you can also just eat as is.

While the fries are baking whisk together all of the ingredients for the dip to make a garlicky dip. Enjoy the fries hot with the dip.